Saturday, January 20, 2007

Furthermore, he's thrown down the gauntlet to all "lefty bloggers" to see if they can keep up with us. If you were hoping for an apology, or any evident understanding of the not-very-complicated first amendment issues Spocko's interaction with Disney has raised - don't hold your breath.

On the other hand, if Disney was hoping this would all just go away quietly - Don't hold your breath for that, either. The Mouse is gonna end up looking bad and smelling bad for some weeks now, and if EFF and Spocko have grounds for some sort of suit against Disney and the former ISP, ... this could last for YEARS.

"INTERNET LIARS AND OTHER ASSORTED LOW-LIFE": "message: Get used to it, 'cause you ain't heard NOTHIN' yet! I don't roll over and play dead for people whose agenda I'm convinced would destroy this nation. I've travelled the world and learned long ago that, with all its flaws, it works a helluva lot better than most of the world!"

Ok, Lee, here's my problem with that statement. First, the "liberal agenda" you speak of is something you and your colleagues pulled out of your collective asses. Seriously.

I am by no means a liberal. Words have meaning, dude, dude and dudette, so I try and use them as Webster and the Queen would agree. In other words, "liberal" is not the opposite of "right-thinking gun-toting American," any more than Conservative is the opposite of "socialist commie pinko faggot."

Classical Liberalism is in favor of large, interventionist government as a guarantor of social "reform" and propriety.

Liberals (save for the Neocon variety) tend to be well-meaning knowitalls who are reasonably sure that on the whole they know better than most people what's best for them, for the nation, and civilization as a whole.

What they do not know is that five times out of ten, that which is good for the collective is bad for any given individual to some degree. The other thing they do not realize is that "knowing better" is NOT the same as knowing enough to meddle with any expectation of a good outcome.

I don't believe in messing with folks, either 'for their own good' or in order to 'uphold family values.' I don't have the right to mess with YOUR family to uphold idea - although I could make a case for both just by taking you at your own words. Yep, by the things you say, I could make a real good case you are a likely abuser in private - and probably the victim of abues. So I have you coming and going.

Or on the other hand, I could just repect your wish to not deal with your own shit. Hell, as long as you are yelling at a mike instead of me, I'm cool with that. I figure people can choose their own poisons, be it Scotch, bile or Oxycontin. But on the other hand, don't expect me to support your habits either, when your share of the public airwaves could be better used for... oh... poetry reading, classical music or baseball.

And I understand that's what several sponsors felt. They didn't feel like having their good names associated with your mouth. That's their right, sir. Spocko didn't say they had to pull their accounts, he asked them if they WISHED to be associated. They did not.

I believe in minding my own business and letting my neighbor mind his - unless and until my neighbor yells for help. That way I avoid the mistake of "one size fits all" solutions, which are generally create more problems than solutions, and cost a lot more than just, say, handing five bucks to a beggar and giving HIM the responsibility for spending it wisely.

At the very worst, I've bought him a beer in a warm place for more than an hour and a reasonable portion of his daily caloric intake. I am choosing to make use of his self-interest to maximise the benefit of my choice to be charitable.

In other words, I'm a Libertarian. I put my faith in the broad ability of well informed and well educated people to take care of themselves most times, take care of each other if given access to resources and trusted with them, and to know when they have to grit their teeth and ask directly for support, either for themselves, or for a cause or a need. (To complain, sir, is to volunteer.)

In this case, my neighbor Spocko yelled for help, and a lot of people came a-runnin,' in support of him, the Constitution of these United States and the "fair use" provision of copyright law. You might consider it to be a first-amendment militia, defending our little electronic villiages against the giant stomping mouse that wishes to tax our "t", copyright our "m", and register "e" as a trademark.

Needless to say, I oppose this giant corporate attempt to preserve the profitablity of talk radio in your market by exploiting the ignorance of your advertisers, whom I assume to be unaware of your slant, and the ignorance of your viewers - who are plainly ignorant of most everything other than that.

For this, I'm sure you'll have some choice words. But then, people who speak truth bluntly, without regard for the tender feelings of those they legitimately criticise are often yelled at.

For expressing my views I've been called a socialist - which is absurd; a liberal, which is ignorant, and an idealist, which causes me to chuckle aloud in a particularly cynical and evil-sounding way.

What I trust is self-interest. Mine first and yours, and everyone else's, knowing that I'll be wrong in some cases - but far less often than not, and I'm not willing to spend money, time or attention on figuring out who deserves this or that. Life is too damn short.

So, why am I blogging about this? Indeed, why am I intruding into Lee's field, as a call in talk show host, Saturdays at 2PM PST (7PM Eastern, if my fingers aren't lying to me)?

Well, it's in MY self-interest. I'd like to be heard, I have got views, and as Lee has proved, you don't have to understand what you are talking about to get a gig as a talker. However, other skills ARE required. For an illustration of how rusty and unpracticed my skills compare with Lees... Click here. Lord have mercy on me, I sucked.

The difference between me and Lee? I understand how to get better, and getting better doesn't require that I choose between my purse or my concience. For Lee to compete, he's gotta lean left, because the Right is sewn up - and losing traffic.

Me, I don't gotta do anything but practice. And I owe a debt to Ira Blue, who's rolling in his grave at the embarrassment of having such a trio of cretins eroding the KGO family reputation.

So, Lee; welcome to the blogosphere. I have to confess that your writing is a lot better than my talking, so I think you have an actual chance. Of course, it's even more fun if you allow comments - that's where the challenge begins - and where the traffic comes from.

Anyway, Lee, I'm after your job, Metaphorically speaking. No way I'm moving to San Francisco; you can't smoke there. But I'll be in a paid radio gig a lot sooner than you replace anyone in the marketplace of ideas, I gotta tell ya. Sorry about that, but you really need to read some books and check out the footnotes.

My call in number - should you care to know - is {646) 652-4834. I'll be at your disposal every Saturday at 2pm, and I'm scheduled for 60 minutes.